Would/Could/Did they use something other than blindfolds prior to "nowadays"?

Is there an actual relevant other time period to contrast with "nowadays"? If so, was it in the 19th century? 18th? 17th? prior to the 17th century? Or is the puzzle statement more of a hypothetical in that sense?

Would/Could/Did they use something other than blindfolds prior to "nowadays"? No.

Is there an actual relevant other time period to contrast with "nowadays"? Yes, in the 20th century. If so, was it in the 19th century? 18th? 17th? prior to the 17th century? Or is the puzzle statement more of a hypothetical in that sense?

Are games relevant? Yes. Puzzles? Would they need to avoid seeing it for their own sake? Such as spoiling their fun? Close, but their fun isn't the main concern. Would they need to avoid seeing it for others' sake?

Is the relevant thing about "nowadays" a form of technology? are smartphones relevant? Maybe in the past, players would only have needed earplugs to avoid hearing someone call out the answer, but nowadays they would need blindfolds to keep someone from holding up a smartphone with the answer on the screen?

Is the relevant thing about "nowadays" a form of technology? are smartphones relevant? Maybe in the past, players would only have needed earplugs to avoid hearing someone call out the answer, but nowadays they would need blindfolds to keep someone from holding up a smartphone with the answer on the screen? No to all.

Is this about the standard round where they guess the occupation? Or the mystery guest round where they guess the person's identity? Is there a specific person or episode that is relevant? Or would they need blindfolds in general?

Is this about the standard round where they guess the occupation? This. Or the mystery guest round where they guess the person's identity? Also this, tangentially. Is there a specific person or episode that is relevant? Yes. Or would they need blindfolds in general?

Well dang it. Reading through the puzzle, and as soon as WML was brought up, the answer came to me. Alas, I wasn't here to ask it. I used to watch a lot of late night WML -- it has a weirdly interesting appeal to it. RE: the Colonel, it's still slightly surreal to me that someone whose appearance is so extremely well-known these days was so very much unknown not that long ago.